Hummingbirds are some of the most fascinating birds to observe in nature. Their tiny size, lightning fast movements, and shimmering colors make them a joy to watch. Many people love to have hummingbirds visit their yards, so they will put out different types of feeders and nectar to try to attract them. But what type of hummingbird feeder actually attracts the most hummingbirds?
What Do Hummingbirds Eat?
Hummingbirds eat both nectar and small insects such as gnats, fruit flies, and spiders. Their main diet consists of nectar from flowers and from feeders. They have long slender beaks and tongues that are perfectly adapted for reaching into flowers and feeders to drink the nectar inside. A hummingbird’s daily nectar requirement is equal to half their weight in sugar. Since they are only 2-20 grams in size, this means they need to consume somewhere between 1-10 grams of sugar each day from nectar. They get this sugar energy burst from visiting hundreds of flowers or repeatedly visiting a feeder throughout the day.
Essential Elements of a Good Hummingbird Feeder
To attract the most hummingbirds, you need a feeder that meets their needs. Here are the key elements a good hummingbird feeder should have:
- Easy access to nectar – The feeder should allow hummingbirds to easily reach and lap up nectar with their long tongues.
- Colorful – Bright colors, especially red, will attract more hummingbird visitors.
- Nectar capacity – It should be able to hold at least 1 cup of nectar and be easy to refill when empty.
- Ant moat or bee guard – Keeps insects out of the nectar which can spread diseases.
- Proper feeding ports – There should be enough feeding ports so several birds can feed at once and perch near the ports.
- Easy cleaning – You’ll need to clean it every few days so look for a quick disassembly design.
If a feeder has these features, it will be more likely to attract and satisfy visiting hummingbirds in your yard.
Types of Hummingbird Feeders
There are a few common types of hummingbird feeders that have different designs and features.
Saucer Feeders
Saucer feeders, also called dish feeders, have an open, shallow dish design. The nectar is open to the air. These have easy access for hummingbirds to fly up and drink from the surface of the nectar. However, the open design also allows bees and wasps to reach the nectar. The exposed nectar can also become contaminated or evaporate more quickly in hot weather. Saucer feeders are best suited for covered locations.
Tube Feeders
Tube feeders are bottle or cylinder shaped with built-in feeding ports. They have a covered design that helps keep nectar fresh longer. The ports allow hummingbirds to reach the nectar with their long beaks and tongues. Depending on the style, tube feeders often have anywhere from 2 to 20 feeding ports, sometimes with perches for the birds to rest. These tend to attract more birds at once than saucer feeders.
Funnel Feeders
Funnel feeders have feeding ports with a plastic funnel surrounding each port. The tapered funnel helps guide the hummingbird’s beak and tongue right to the nectar to make accessing it easier. It also helps reduce the risk of bees accessing the nectar. The number of funnel ports varies by feeder, with some designs having up to 10-12 ports.
Window Feeders
As the name suggests, window feeders are designed to hang on a window. The plastic bottle style feeder sticks onto the glass with suction cups and often has 2-4 feeding ports. Since they are right on the window, these allow for unobstructed viewing and photographs of visiting hummingbirds up close.
Most Effective Hummingbird Feeder Style
Based on the key elements that attract hummingbirds, a tube style feeder tends to be the most effective design. Here are some reasons why:
- Tube feeders have the highest nectar capacity, able to hold between 12-48 oz compared to just 4-6 oz for saucer styles. This reduces refilling frequency.
- The enclosed tube preserves nectar freshness longer than open saucers.
- Tubes usually have the highest number of feeding ports, allowing multiple hummers to feed at once.
- Funnel style tube feeders are extremely effective at guiding hummingbirds to the nectar while restricting bee access.
- They allow for easy viewing of birds. Clear tubes provide complete visibility.
- Tube shapes and bright colors are eye-catching designs.
- Their components disassemble easily for cleaning between nectar changes.
Based on all these benefits, a tube style hummingbird feeder with at least 4 feeding ports is the best option for attracting high numbers of hummingbirds. Funnel tubes are optimal to reduce insect access.
Nectar Tips
To fill any style hummingbird feeder, homemade nectar is best. Use a recipe of 1 part regular white sugar to 4 parts water. No need for honey, sugars, or red food coloring. Boil the mixture for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and let it cool before filling feeders. Change nectar every 2-3 days, or daily in hot weather if it cannot be kept in the refrigerator between refills. Keeping feeders clean and nectar fresh will provide healthy food for visiting hummingbirds.
Feeder Placement Tips
Where you place the feeder in your yard also influences how many hummingbirds visit. Here are some placement tips:
- Hang feeders in a shady spot to keep nectar cool and fresh longer.
- Near flowers, trees, or house eaves where hummers can perch and rest between sips.
- Within view of windows so you can observe activity.
- Close to places hummers would naturally feed, like nectar plants.
- Multiple feeders in different areas will attract more birds overall.
- Avoid direct sunlight which heats the nectar too rapidly.
- Carefully clean around feeders often since hummers are attracted to clean areas.
When to Put Up Feeders
Hummingbirds migrate through certain areas at different times as they travel between their winter and summer ranges. So when you hang feeders will impact when and how many arrive. Here are some general guidelines for when to put up hummingbird feeders by region:
- Southern States: February-March as early spring migrants pass through
- Southwest: Mid-February to take advantage of high migration activity
- Midwest: Mid-April before main waves of western hummers arrive
- Northeast: Early May just before summer residents appear
- Pacific Northwest/West Coast: Mid-March for early arrivers
The key is to have feeders up and filled with fresh nectar right around the average spring arrival date for hummingbirds in your particular area. Keeping them clean and full through late summer will provide fuel for their return migration as well.
Conclusion
To attract the most hummingbirds, a tube style feeder with at least 4 feeding ports is the most effective design. Funnel shaped ports are even better to minimize insect access. Placing it in a shady area near natural food sources and keeping it filled with a proper sugar-water nectar solution will create an enticing feeding station. Putting it up about 1-2 weeks before hummingbirds normally arrive in spring, depending on your region, will ensure a steady stream of visitors all season long. With a quality tube feeder and proper care, you can enjoy watching the antics of these energetic, iridescent pollinators from your window for hours on end.
